In this 1975 adaptation of Neil Simon's stage play, director Herbert Ross presents the story of two old-time Vaudvillians played by Walter Matthau and George Burns in his first starring role since 1939's Honolulu. After decades… MoreIn this 1975 adaptation of Neil Simon's stage play, director Herbert Ross presents the story of two old-time Vaudvillians played by Walter Matthau and George Burns in his first starring role since 1939's Honolulu. After decades apart, the cantankerous duo is persuaded to reunite for a television special despite the fact that they hate each other. Richard Benjamin co-stars as Matthau's nephew, who has the responsibility of making sure the comedians go through with the show and don't kill each other in the process. Nominated for four Academy Awards, Burns took home the statue for Best Supporting Actor.

The Sunshine Boys is an extremely sensitive and lovable film version of Neil Simon's play, with Walter Matthau and George Burns outstanding in their starring roles as a pair of long-hostile vaudeville partners.

Herbert Ross' version of Neil Simon's Broadway production is still a play--verbose and repetitious at that--but it's well acted by Walter Matthau and George Burns (who won an Oscar) as the two cranky vet vaudevillians.

Two octogenarian former comedians reunite for one last show after a contentious separation.
Neil Simon, famed for his dialogue and witticisms, may have written… MoreTwo octogenarian former comedians reunite for one last show after a contentious separation.
Neil Simon, famed for his dialogue and witticisms, may have written some funny scenes and plays, but as a whole, this isn't one of them. Yes, the monologue of Walter Matthau's character listing funny words is classic, but most of the film is filled with tired jokes that Matthau and George Burns, kyphotic to a fault, stumble through. The plot is basically predictable, and the filmmaking is not dynamic.
Overall, some of the film is funny, but it doesn't hold together beyond being a collection of sketches.

John Ballantine

Matthau and Burns give a decent amount of life to Neil Simon's play. I find it weird how it seems like Matthau has always perpetually played old men even… MoreMatthau and Burns give a decent amount of life to Neil Simon's play. I find it weird how it seems like Matthau has always perpetually played old men even in his youth. Burns got a lot of mediocre gigs in forgettable movies after this.

If you've ever had a strong desire to hang out with hard-of-hearing, incontinent and embittered elderly at a nursing home for two hours, then I strongly… MoreIf you've ever had a strong desire to hang out with hard-of-hearing, incontinent and embittered elderly at a nursing home for two hours, then I strongly suggest you watch this movie first, as it will undoubtably cure you of this. Walter Matthau yells, hollers and bellows his dialogue in a manner that must've left him exhausted after each day of filming, or at least with a bad case of laryngitis. He plays a character so grating, it borders on torture to watch. In fact, this might be a good film subject Al-qaeda suspects to (with the volume turned up, for full bellowing effect). While I don't have any actual quotes from the movie, I think I can give a basic idea of the humor found in it:
Old Man: "Where's the bathroom?"
woman: "Sir, this is a pay phone"
Old Man: "What?"
woman: "I said, 'Sir, this is a pay phone"
Old Man: "So? Why are you telling me this for?"
woman: "You asked where the bathroom is"
Old Man: "You think I don't know this? What is this?"
woman: "Would you please leave?"
Old Man: "Huh?? What?? Bathroom??? Phone Booth???"
(10 minutes later)
Old man: "So what, you gonna let me use the bathroom now?"
...annd scene.
Walter Matthau plays an old vaudeville entertainer who's fallen on hard times, and as the movie opens, he's going out on commercial auditions. But, rather than go to the building where auditions are being held, he goes to an auto garage and insists on doing the audition for the mechanic, who is about as amused by this as I was. If Walter Matthau is playing an older character (than he was at the time), then George Burns is somehow playing a YOUNGER character (than he was at the time), and yet, he still seems more together than what Matthau is supposed to be. You see, the two of them were the great vaudeville comedy team "Lewis and Clark", and they've been at each other's throats for years since their retirement. When Clark's nephew (Richard Benjamin) gets them booked on a tv retrospective, they have to somehow learn to work together again. But after being subjected to Matthau's "louder equals funnier" performance for the entire first half of the movie, I had no interest in how the rest of the plot would play out. Neil Simon's screenplay is awkward, obvious, elementary and plodding. This movie actually plays better as a drama than a comedy. I don't find it cute when old people act like infants and I don't enjoy listening to people yelling at one another. My question is, are there people who do enjoy this?

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